I was so encouraged by your response to the post I wrote last week pondering "little things" and their place on the blog. You reminded me that little things and little moments are what life is made of, and it does not deny the hard things to appreciate the little things.
Because there have been heavy days this week.
We are all well here. But there are friends and loved ones (blog friends and near friends and extended family) who are suffering illness and loss. And when you love those who are suffering, you suffer too.
But I will share with you some little things (which are really the big things) in our world this week.
~ Autumn light
~ A little anniversary getaway
Our 43rd wedding anniversary was in August, but August is crazy so we waited until Ron had some days off in September. It was short and sweet, but so refreshing!
Our 43rd wedding anniversary was in August, but August is crazy so we waited until Ron had some days off in September. It was short and sweet, but so refreshing!
~ antiquing ~ coffee ~ relaxing ~
Our selfie game is not good 😂,
but here we are enjoying our first of many coffees on our two day trip.
but here we are enjoying our first of many coffees on our two day trip.
~ Autumn at the back door
I will leave you with some beautiful music that Bekah played at church last Sunday. I love this wonderful old hymn! May it be an encouragement to you today! (In case you don't know the words, I have pasted them below. They are rich!)
- HE LEADETH ME
lyrics by Joseph Gilmore
He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.- Refrain:
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
- Refrain:
- Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me. - Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me. - And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
Love the autumn scenes and the pumpkins.
ReplyDeleteI think your "selfie game" is pretty good! 😊
Thanks for sharing the music.
Thank you, Sandi! No one was with us, and I wanted to record the moment, so selfie it was. It's certainly not the worst one I've ever taken . . . I have some that are downright laughable. (They have not made it to my blog. 😂)
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the music!
I see you went to the Speckled Hen. I have been trying to get there for weeks. I wonder if we were in Lancaster County at the same time. We went for our anniversary on September 14-16. Wouldn't that have been something if we had seen each other. Instead of the Speckled Hen (which was closed) we went to Agape Grill which is another great place to eat.
ReplyDeleteKathy, that would have been crazy and FUN to have run into you and Joe, but we actually were there on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Oh well. I have sometimes visited another blog friend in Lancaster County, but it was a short trip and it turns out my friend was out of town anyway.
DeleteWe loved The Speckled Hen! We went on a recommendation from one of my husband's coworkers and we were not disappointed. I had a Harvest Latte that was delicious. AND we went to Agape Grill before we drove home on Tuesday, recommended by a different friend. I agree . . . it was a great place to eat! You don't go hungy (or coffeeless in Lancaster County.
hmpfh. the 'puter published my comment (i think so anyway)
ReplyDeletebefore i was finished.
i do hope to visit the lancaster area soon. unsure if it'll
happen but if it *does* i'll alert you as to the date.
like you and yours, beauty happens even in the midst of pain
and loss. i'm thankful for the presence of Jesus in all times.
Please DO let me know if you are able to visit . . . I would LOVE to meet you, my friend!
DeleteAh yes . . . beauty and pain are always intertwined, and also yes . . . His presence is the thing that matters most!
Happy belated anniversary, Cheryl! I love that you two still made time to get away to celebrate a wonderful milestone of 43 years! Grayden and I have never made a suitable selfie, but your's is cute of you and Ron. Your Autumn shots are lovely.
ReplyDeleteHeavy days are certainly part of life. As the beautiful hymn says "By His own hand he leadeth me, o'er trouble sea, He leadeth me." Thank you and Bekah for sharing this message.
Never too late to celebrate, right?! We are glad that we took some time away. Our selfie? There have been worse, but we have room for improvement.
DeleteI love that part of the hymn too, Martha Ellen! He leads over both the still water and the troubled sea!
That was lovely! Thanks to Bekah.
ReplyDeleteAnother anniversary? So soon? �� Very glad that you honored your day. You know, it strikes me that every week is difficult with sickness and loss somewhere. If we can not enjoy life because of our sympathy and empathy, we land in a place that our friends and loved ones would not wish for us.
Thank you for creating a beautiful post that was both sensitive and joy-filled. Life is a challenge. Thank The Lord that He leads us as we yield to Him.
The years fly by, do they not?! Sometimes I wonder how in the world I got to be the age that I am!
DeleteYou raise a good point. We cannot live without joy and hope . . . we cannot wallow in sorrow. But, oh, when a loved one is hurting deeply, I feel the heaviness too. Yes, we thank the Lord for His leading as our Good Shepherd!
I will relay your thanks, as well as others' comments, to Bekah. I love to hear her play, I love the richness of hymns, and I like to share it now and then.
Beautiful photos, and I so enjoyed listening to Bekah play.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, GGG! I will be sure to pass along your kind words to Bekah!
DeleteThank you for a lovely, encouraging post. Bekah’s playing was beautiful!! A wonderful old hymn that really touched my heart this morning. ~ Happy Fall ~ FlowerLady
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you were encouraged and that the hymn touched your heart, Lorraine! Don't we all need that?
DeleteHappy Fall to you too!
Beautiful playing of that precious hymn. Singing along in St. Louis this Sunday morning. You show autumn well. Happy Fall to you. We are heading to Kentucky now! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteI love to imagine you singing along in St. Louis! And now you're probably settled in somewhere in Kentucky. Praying continued blessings on your travels!
DeleteThe world seems so full of heaviness just now - dissension and disease, violence and corruption abound. I am so thankful that we have a rock and an anchor for our souls in these troubled days. What a beautiful hymn "He Leadeth Me" is. Bekah at the piano reminded me of the many years I played for church services in Ecuador. Enjoy the fall blessings that come each day.
ReplyDeleteLorrie, yes! So very thankful for our Rock and Anchor!
DeleteI would love to hear you play. Piano music is my favorite and I'm so thankful that I live with a pianist.
Happy belated 43rd anniversary to you and Ron. So sorry you had a heavy week. It seems here lately a lot of people are going through their own trials. We have to remember that God never promised there wouldn't be storms, only that he would be with us and see us through the storm. I hope you and those you care about will see brighter days ahead.
ReplyDeleteSo thankful that He is with us in the storms! Those storms are a very real part of life and I don't know how folks face them without Him.
DeleteThank you for the anniversary greetings!
That's a beautiful arrangement of He Leadeth Me. So thankful for the rich truths of most hymns.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got away. Sad we were away, but it's okay for you to come and for us to not get together! Anniversaries are special to celebrate with your spouse! Alone!
Sorry for the hurt of family and friends. Its so good to help carry their burdens, but I think Vee is wise, in her comment!
It was a quick trip and even if you had been at home, we probably would not have had time to visit . . . but we'll come again! Even though it was quick, it was so refreshing and relaxing.
DeleteYes, Vee's words are wise. We cannot live in constant sorrow without joy. But I cannot imagine that I would not care deeply when someone I love is suffering. It's a balance I think . . . even in the same Scripture passage it says Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. One is not exclusive of the other.
Thanks for sharing Bekah's playing - beautiful! The fall scenes are amazing, and your selfie is good. We're still working on those ourselves - ha!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, and I'm glad you enjoyed Bekah's playing along with me! Actually, our selfie skills have improved, but that's not saying a whole lot! Maybe I should swallow my pride and post one of our earlier attempts . . . 😉
DeleteSuch a refreshing and encouraging post,Cheryl, I especially enjoyed hearing Bekah play that wonderful old hymn!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you and Ron, sometimes the short get-a-ways are the best!
Your fall decorations are beautiful!
Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comment!
Blessings,
Sue
Thanks so much, Sue, for all of your kind words! I am especially glad that you enjoyed the hymn with me!
DeleteI listened to the video and with Bekah's beautiful additions (or I suppose those were written into this rendition) I didn't even recognize the song - but as soon as I saw the title of the hymn I had to listen to it again and sure it enough! The familiar tune was in there. I love being surprised like that.
ReplyDeleteIt's not yet fall here, but I thinking the change will happen when I'm not paying attention. Beautiful post, Cheryl. Happy anniversary to you and your hubby!
Glad you found the hymn inside! :) Thanks so much for your anniversary greeting! And, yes, I am waiting for fall right along with you. It's not here today . . . but soon?
Delete